Going Slightly Mad
by Trousers in Small Jars
Summary: Erik is having the worst day of his life...over and over... MovieMusical with Elements of Groundhog Day. Formally Titled No Return.
1. Dream

Chapter 1- Dream 

A/N- I know I should not be starting a new story while I have two going. I thought of this idea a few months ago and I really liked it and I hope you will too. It is the basic premise of "Groundhog Day" but it will not be exactly like that movie converted to POTO. I will be as original as possible.

Disclaimer- The basic plot belongs to Danny Rubin, the story is mine and the characters belong to ALW, and Leroux.

* * *

She was gone, Christine was gone and there was nothing Erik could do to bring her back. She was going to marry her Vicomte in some lavish ceremony that would be the talk of Paris. Nothing else mattered, she was the only thing in his life that had any meaning and he let her go. Erik's heart ached at the thought and he clenched his hand tighter around the ring Christine had given him. The ring was all he had left of her now and he would treasure it forever. He knew he would never love again, Christine had his heart and she always would. There would be no greater moment in his life than when she put her lips on his in her gentle yet powerful kiss. After she had kissed him, he had known he could not keep her against her will and force her live a life of unhappiness.

Erik stepped through the mirror, shards of glass crackling beneath his feet. He was headed down a narrow corridor to the small room he had built in case he needed to escape quickly. Normally, he would take care of trespassers but there were too many and there was no reason to harm them. The opera was destroyed, all because of him. In just a matter of hours he had lost everything, his home, his opera and most importantly his angel.

He had reached the end of the passageway and opened the door to his secret room. It was very small, there were a few wooden boxes filled with supplies that would be able to last at least a month until he could find more suitable living arrangements. In the corner of the room, there was a cot. He sat down on the edge of the bed and held his unmasked face in his hands replaying the evening's events in his head over again. How he wished he could have done everything differently. Nothing could change what had occurred and Erik would have to regret it the rest of his life. Lying back on the bed, he closed his eyes hoping his sleep would be free of nightmares.

* * *

Erik was awoken by a pounding sensation in his head. The cot he had fallen asleep on the night before felt more comfortable now. He opened eyes, his head aching even more with the movement of his eyelids. Blinking a few times, he noticed he was not in his hidden room anymore; he was in his lair lying in the bed he had prepared for Christine. Sitting up, he tried to remember if he had come back to his home during the night. He took a quick glance around the room, seeing if everything was just as he had left it. Nothing had been moved. _The mob must have left after they found out I was not here. _He thought. Erik was still curious as to why he was in lair, he knew he had nothing to come back for and did not remember returning. He stood up and walked out of the bedroom to his music room. The organ was untouched as were his music and drawings. Then Erik saw the Don Juan Triumphant stage, he had made was still fully intact. He knew he had burned it before the opera the previous evening but it did not even look damaged.

Could it have all been a dream? It had seemed so real. Was it possible, that he had imagined the events? Erik decided it must have been a dream and he promised himself he would not let tonight end the same way his dream had.

* * *

The final rehearsal for Don Juan Triumphant was underway and Erik was high above the stage in the rafters. Christine had taken the stage and Erik could not take his eyes of his beautiful angel. Her voice filled with beautiful, sound filled to every corner of the large auditorium. Yet, Erik noticed something different about her voice, he could hear the fear behind it, fear that he had instilled in her. Piangi had joined her on stage now, butchering the duet Erik had written for himself and Christine. Erik waited until the end of the song before he took his leave. There were mere hours before his opera would begin and he needed the time to figure out a plan.

* * *

A/N- A bit of a short chapter, I know but it was either continue on until the opera, which would make this a very long chapter. Since it is the first chapter I decided it should not be too long. Reviews are always nice. I already know what I want to do but I'd like to hear what you think will happen. It's always fun for me to hear that stuff. Have a nice day!


	2. Don Juan Triumphs

Chapter 2- Day 2

A/N- I typed up half of the chapter then it closed on me. Grrr... so now I had to rewrite what I had from memory.

Disclaimer- The basic plot belongs to Danny Rubin, the story is mine and the characters belong to ALW, and Leroux.

Erik had gone over the mistakes he had made in his dream. He knew where he went wrong and changed his course of action accordingly. Now, he was waiting for Piangi to make his exit from the stage. Erik readied himself to pounce the large tenor, as he heard Piangi's loud laughter. Just as Piangi closed the curtain, Erik flew down from his hiding place and quickly reached under his cape pulled out the dreaded Punjab lasso and wrapped it around the tenor's neck.

"Il mio Dio," Piangi gasped as the rope tightened around his neck. Before he could utter a plea for his life, he fell to the floor becoming the latest victim of the Punjab.

_"No thoughts within her head, but thoughts of joy! No dreams within her heart but dreams of love." _Christine's angelic voice carried backstage and Erik knew it was time for his entrance. He stepped out from behind the curtain with his cloak covering the bottom half of his face.

_"Master?"_

_"Passarino - go away! For the trap is set and waits for its prey . . ."_ Erik lowered his cloak as he caught sight of Christine looking beautiful in the costume he had designed for her. He continued to sing his part of the duet, all the while not taking his eyes off Christine. She closed her eyes succumbing to his voice, she knew that she was sharing the stage her beloved Angel of Music. _No he is not your angel. _A voice in the back of her head told her._ He is a killer, he is the Phantom. _Her mind was racing; Christine did not know what to do. The first thought that came to her was to run off the stage but she could not do that for if she did, he would only follow her. Christine knew she would have to continue the opera.

"_You have brought me,"_ She would need to alert Raoul, but how? "_to that moment where words run dry, to that moment where speech disappears into silence," _Staring straight at her fiancée, she put emphasis on the last word._ "silence . ._ ." Christine saw Raoul signal the police that the Phantom was in the theatre. He had not fully understood what she was trying to tell him. She was going to have to show him exactly where the Phantom was. Continuing to sing her part, Christine never took her eyes of the Phantom even as she was climbing the winding staircase to the bridge that hung over the stage. Erik was entranced, could this really be happening? Could Christine be choosing him? They had both come to the top of their respective staircases and were now both standing on the bridge.

Raoul had also been watching very carefully as he realized who was on stage with Christine. He watched as Christine and the Phantom met at the center of the bridge and their voices combined in the final chorus of the song. She was falling under his spell again and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Tears came to his eyes, as he saw the Phantom possessively pull Christine to him. Raoul knew he was going to lose her.

Erik had Christine in his arms, feeling her body, caressing her neck. She was his completely. He started to sing to her the words he had heard the Vicomte sing that night on the roof.

_"Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime . . . Lead me, save me from my solitude . . .Say you want me with you, here beside you" _Christine turned to face him. Her hand was resting on his neck. Quickly, remembering his dream, Erik took both of her hands in his._ Anywhere you go let me go too, Christine that's all I ask of_ _you!"_ He sung the final line with all the emotion in his heart. There was silence throughout the theatre. Christine's eyes were roaming wildly; she was searching for a way out. Erik tightened his grasp on her hands, so she would not be able to run. "Christine," He whispered. "will you be my bride?" The audience began whispering obviously confused as to why the singing had ceased. Christine's eyes darted around the theatre wildly; she could not release her hands from his grasp. She had to think of something quick.

Raoul now realized that the Phantom was on the stage with his fiancée trying to lure her back to him. He stood up to leave his box but discovered that the door was locked. Erik noticed the police starting to close in on the stage; they knew that something was not right. They would need to escape soon.

"Christine, I need your answer. We will need to take our leave soon." He said confident in what her answer would be. Her eyes were welling with tears; she did not want to hurt her angel.

""I..I cannot marry you, Angel, I am not in love with you." Christine said as gently as she could, hoping she has said the right thing. The soft look on her Angel's face contorted into one of anger. Erik looked straight at the Vicomte knowing he was the one to blame. Raoul, thinking quickly, slid down the curtain hanging from the side of the box, and onto the main floor of the theatre.

"Seize that man! He is the Phantom of the Opera!" Raoul shouted to the policemen surrounding the stage. The audience gasped at Raoul's revelation.

"She is mine!" He pulled Christine tightly to his body and cut the rope to release the trap door and the chandilier. They fell through the door and the chandler started to fall. The audience member screamed as they ran from the falling chandelier. Raoul dashed up on to the stage and jumped through the trap door with his sword in hand. He was determined to save his beloved no matter what.

Erik shouted words of anger and despair as he pulled Christine down the to his lair. She was struggling trying to grab anything she could to pull herself away from her dreaded Angel. What had she done to drive this man to such madness? Was this the same man who had inspired her voice so many years ago in the chapel? His words were hurtful and she tried to ignore them. Christine's only hope was that Raoul would be able to find her.

Farther back in the corridor Raoul heard the Phantom's words and followed them the best could hoping not the fall into one the Phantom's infamous traps. He came to the lake and saw the gondola turn the corner. There was no other boat so he would have to swim. The water looked to be at its deepest, eight feet. Raoul quickly removed his jacket and cummerbund. He would not be able to swim with his sword so he left it with his other belongings. Jumping in the cold water, he started to swim toward the Phantom's anguished voice.

In the lair, Erik roughly pulled Christine out of the boat. He knew the boy would be along soon to save his sweetheart. If everything worked according to plan, He and Christine would be gone and off to be married. Christine struggled against his grip on her arms. He was pulling her towards the life-like doll he had made in her image.

"Why? Christine Why?" Erik growled, shaking the frightened girl slightly. She could not speak. He pointed to the wedding dress on the doll. "Put the dress on, we will be leaving soon." Christine gasped.

"Where are you taking me?" Her voice shook as she spoke. She had to stall, someone was bound to come looking for her any moment. Erik put a slim finger under her chin and looked her in the eyes as he spoke.

"If I told you, then you would not be surprised." He smirked. "Put the dress on." He said again. Quickly, he slipped the dress off the doll and pushed it into her arms. "Change quickly." He growled. Too afraid to protest, Christine took the dress into the room where she had waken up the first night he had brought her here. Tears slipped down her cheeks as she put the dress on. She stepped out of the room and walked toward the man she despised more then anything at the moment.

_"Have you gorged yourself at last, in your lust for blood? Am I now to be prey to your lust for flesh?"_ Christine said furiously with hot tears of anger ran down her face. Erik turned towards her and held up the ring he had ripped from her neck the night of the masquerade.

"That my dear will wait until the wedding night." He said grasping her hand and thrusting the ring onto her finger. "For you, Christine have the honor of becoming my living bride." Erik knew, that the boy would be here any moment to try and save his childhood sweetheart but unlike his dream, Erik would be ready for him. Christine looked up at him through tearful eyes.

"Angel, please, let me go." The emotion in her voice constricted Erik's heart. Just as he began to reconsider, he heard splashing from outside the grate. As Erik had expected there stood the boy, soaking from head to toe. His wound from the swordfight had re-opened and was bleeding. Raoul rested his sore arms on the grate.

_"Wait! I think, my dear, we have a guest!" _Erik bitterly spat at Christine. "Have you come to see the Phantom in his true form monsieur? Well, then you will not be disappointed!" He yelled ripping of the mask off of his face. Raoul instantly drew back from the gruesome sight. The right half of his face, which had always been hidden, was covered with scars and marred reddened flesh. It was a shock but Raoul would not let this stop him from his mission.

"Raoul!" Christine gasped at the sight of her lover, breathing heavily and drenched. His wound from the swordfight had re-opened and blood was seeping through what used to be a nice dress shirt.

"_Sir, this is indeed an unparalleled delight! I had rather hoped that you would come. And now my wish comes true - you have truly made my night!" _Erik roughly pulled Christine to his side. She tried to wriggle herself free of his strong hold.

"Let me go!" She gritted through her teeth. Raoul was enraged; he could not let that monster touch Christine like that.

_"Free her! Do what you like, only free her! Have you no pity?"_ Raoul cried, thrusting his hands through the grate. Erik smirked; this was his opportunity for his plan to unfold. He forcefully pushed Christine away from his body.

_"Please, Raoul it's useless!"_ She had to send Raoul away. Christine could not let him be hurt by the Phantom's wrath.

"Now, Christine do not be so doubtful." Erik said as he walked to lever to open the grate. The Vicomte and Christine were both confused by his actions. Surveying his surroundings Raoul slowly made his way into the lair. Then with a burst of energy he ran to meet Christine on the stairs, holding her in long embrace.

"Did he hurt you?" Raoul said breathing heavily. Before she could answer the Phantom had begun to speak.

"_Monsieur, I bid you welcome!"_ He said in mocking tone. Raoul took a protective stance in front of Christine. "_Did you think that I would harm her? Why should I make her pay for the sins which are yours?" _At that moment Erik pulled out the pistol he had been concealing and shot two bullet into the Vicomte's chest. Raoul quickly fell to the floor. Christine screamed in shock.

"Raoul!" She knelt beside him and wrapped her arms around him. The blood from the two shots had started to leak out, and spreading quickly. "Raoul, no, please, no." She held his head up and looked directly into his eyes as she spoke. Raoul was clinging to life, trying not to show his pain to Christine.

"I-I am s-sorry, Christine.." He trembled as he spoke. Raoul knew he would not make it. "I fought, so hard to free you, but not hard enough." Erik watched the scene unfold. He would let Christine say her good-bye before they took their leave.

"No, you did just fine, Raoul." She spoke trying to stop herself from sobbing hysterically. "You are going to be fine, we are going to be happy." Swallowing the lump in her throat she began to sing softly. "_Say you'll share with me, one love, one lifetime..." _As she sang each word her voice grew louder, willing him to live. Raoul opened his mouth as if to join her but his faltered.

"I love you..." Raoul said softly using his last breath. His body fell limp in her arms.

"No, no, Raoul," She leaned her forehead down to touch his. "I love you." Christine whispered, trying to keep her words un-heard by the Phantom. Carefully, she laid Raoul's head down on the floor.

Erik, who had remained silent, finally spoke. "We must go now, Christine." He walked behind her and put a hand on her bare shoulder. Repulsed, Christine pulled away from his touch.

"No." She said with a hollow voice, not turning to face him. "I will not let his death be in vain."

A loud throng of voice echoed through catacombs, "_Track down this murderer! He must be found!" _They were coming for him and Erik knew if they did not leave soon, they would be caught by the angry mob.

"Christine, there is no time to mourn." When she did not answer, anger flared within Erik. "If you will not come willingly, I will have to take you." He gritted through his teeth.

"You would not dare." Christine said, still not facing Erik. With a loud growl he swooped down and roughly picked Christine up and put her over his shoulders. She yelped as he picked her up. Erik carried her over to the gondola, whilst she was kicking and punching him. He placed her inside and before she could even try to escape he pushed the boat away from the dock and started rowing towards the opening of the cavern. They were headed the opposite way of the mob, so they would not run into them. Christine was silent as Erik rowed the boat away from the lair.

"It will take some time," Erik said as he continued rowing. "but I think you will forget about him." Christine remained silent and Erik swallowed hard. "Maybe, someday, you could even learn to love me." Before he could process what was happening, he saw Christine come towards him. She had the lantern from the tip of the boat in her hand. Swinging it, she hit Erik on the side of the head causing him to fall back. The last thing Erik felt was the water surrounding him.

A/N- That took a while! Sorry This went through many re-writes and now I think it just right. I hope you enjoyed it! I always appreciate reviews. Till next time!


	3. Mystery

Chapter 3-

A/N- HELLO! You probably thought I had abandoned this, didn't you? Well, I haven't. Things are just crazy to have regular updates. I will have some time now as I am on break and my schedule next semester will be more update friendly. I am hoping to get at least two chapters up before I go back. I also re-read the last chapter and noticed that half the dialogue is ripped off from some of my favorite movies. I apologize for that, it was not intentional if you noticed it. I will try to do it less in the future.

Movie Verse readers: I know that several people think that "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" and "Wandering Child" take place on the same day as "We Have All Been Blind" and "Don Juan." But I tend to think that the cemetery scenes takes place at least day or two before "Don Juan" which is why those scenes are not included in this day.

Disclaimer- No money is made off of this story

* * *

Much to Erik's surprise, he awoke the next morning. He kept his eyes shut trying to process the night before. How had that lantern not killed him? He most certainly should have drowned even if the direct hit had just knocked him unconscious. But he expected to have severe pain in his head instead of the dull ache he now felt. Raising his hand to his face, he felt for bandages or a bump yet there was nothing different. It was then that he finally opened his eyes and saw that he was in his bed. Did Christine have a change of heart and bring him back? No that was impossible, not after the ways he had looked at him. He had seen that look many times in his life but never on his angel's face. It was hatred, that moment she hit him, she had truly hated him.

Erik tried to push that moment out of his mind but the more he did, the more it felt as if his heart was being torn into pieces. He sat on the edge of the bed, holding his head in hands and running through his mind all the scenarios that could have brought him back here. Had Madam Giry found him? But what happened to the mob? What had become of the opera house? He looked down and noticed that he was not wearing the remnants of the costume he had designed but rather the clothing he had worn the morning before. This was startling. He knew even Madam Giry would not do such a thing, especially with no apparent reason for it.

He bolted upright and ran to the main area of his lair. Nothing was as he had left it the night before. He had not been expecting to find the Vicomte, figuring the mob would have taken his body, but there was no blood or stain where the young man had died. The gondola was docked with the lantern at the helm. And the most startling find, his Don Juan costume was lying on the chair in front of miniature stage. Everything looked just as it had before the fateful performance of Don Juan.

"This cannot be happening….." Erik whispered shaking his head. It would be impossible to have dreamed that he had a dream. Before he made any conclusions he had to see what was happening in the opera house above. Erik made a mad dash through the secret passageway into box five. Before he even reached the theatre, he could hear the music from the stage. It was clear that there had been no fire when stepped into the box. The chandelier was intact and hanging high above the orchestra.

Erik's head started spinning; this meant that he had started the same day over again. A day he had already lived twice. How was this possible? Although he was a master of magic tricks, he had always believed that all "magic" could be explained through some type of illusion. Never once had he thought magic was real, there had been no fairy godmother to come rescue him when he was in need. So, why should be believe there were some special powers that could fix all human problems? He heard footsteps outside the entrance to the private box and quickly slipped back into the passageway. There had to be some way to figure out what was happening to him and he was going to find it.

* * *

Erik had a small makeshift library in his lair. All it was, was an alcove with a chair and several unorganized piles of reading materials. He had made it his duty to read every libretto for all the operas planned each season. It was not hard to sneak into the manager's office and pick up the leather bound libretto off of the desk. The books were mostly from what the chorus girls had left behind around the opera house. After he returned from the theatre, he had immediately run to his "library" and started rummaging through books.

It had taken two hours of franticly reading through books and librettos but Erik thought he finally found what he was looking for. It was an opera that had been performed about ten years ago called _Frederich__._ The opera had been un-popular, as Erik remembered and was the only work by that particular composer. _Frederich_ was about a young man who had in one day lost his job, his home and his wife due to his alcoholism. By the end of the day he was in jail where he made a prayer begging to for the chance to change. A sorceress appeared to him in the night and promised to give him a second chance. But, he would have to live the same day over until he changed the error of his ways. Erik got halfway through the libretto when he came across smudged, wrinkled and completely unreadable page as were the rest of the pages. It must have been water damaged during an overflow of the underground lake. He groaned loudly, if he knew how the opera ended he could have easily modeled his actions today after Frederich's.

All he knew was that if he did not fix his errors of the original day, he would be stuck like this forever, in a matter of speaking. He would have to go about this in a trial and error fashion. Erik looked at the time and it was four hours before his opera was set to begin and he would have to figure out a plan. He knew he could not kill the Vicomte again as it would only enrage Christine and he never wanted to see that look of hatred ever again. No, that would not work but then an idea struck him. Yes, this had to work. Erik smirked as he came up with the perfect plan that would make Christine his.

* * *

Even though Erik had written the role of Don Juan for himself, he would not be joining Christine on stage this time. No, that would not play well into his scheme. This would require separation from his beloved angel until precisely the right moment. Now, all he had to do was take a trip to Christine's dressing room. He had to be quick to get into position for the next part of his plan. In a crouched position Erik hid in the rafters backstage, exactly where he was the first time he had lived this day. Andre and Firmin were following Raoul closely as he relayed his grand plan for the evening.

_"The curtain falls, his reign will end!"_ Hearing this a second time almost made Erik laugh out loud. Did they really think it was going to work?

Raoul had gone into Christine's dressing room to try and comfort her in her uneasiness about performing in Don Juan. After noticing she was not there, Raoul turned to exit the room. But before he left, he noticed a note lying on the floor in front of the mirror. His stomach dropped as he remembered Christine's story about the magic mirror the Phantom took her through. He rushed over and scooped up the envelope. When he looked down at the envelope, he saw that instead of the ghoulish red writing it was in black ink and in a very delicate hand. It was Christine's writing, he would know it anywhere. On the back on the envelope it read "For my Angel." Raoul opened the letter and scanned the page, his face growing whiter as he read each line.

* * *

A/N- Sorry, for an abrupt ending. I have re-written this chapter several times and decided to see what you all thought of it before I continued.

The "opera" Frederich is of my own invention. The idea for the movie Groundhog Day comes from 'The Gay Science', a famous book by Friedrich Nietzsche. In his book, Nietzsche gives a description of a man who is living the same day over and over again. Since the book had not been written in 1870 I had to come up with a way for Erik to figure out what was happening to him.

Anyway Reviews are ALWAYS appreciated.


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